Digital projectors, such as digital mirror devices (DMD) and liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors, project high quality images onto a viewing surface. Both DMD and LCD projectors utilize high intensity lamps and reflectors to generate the light needed for projection. Light generated by the lamp is concentrated as a ‘fireball’ that is located at a focal point of a reflector. Light produced by the fireball is directed into a projection assembly that produces images and utilizes the generated light to form the image. The image is then projected onto a viewing surface. Misalignment of the focal point causes degradation of the image since less light is captured and creates ‘hot spots’ on the screen instead of a uniform brightness.
Efforts have been directed at making projectors more compact while making the image of higher and higher quality. As a result, the lamps utilized have become more compact and of higher intensity. Higher intensity lamps produce high, even extreme heat. The outer surface of the lamps can approach temperatures of 900° C. As a result, projector designs must account for the intense heat. In addition, losses due to misalignment of the fireball with respect to the reflector are amplified in systems utilizing high intensity lamps.
Some designs attempt to account for the heat by permanently placing the lamp within the reflector. The use of a high temperature epoxy holds the lamp relative to the reflector. Flexible electrodes from the lamp then placed through two holes in the reflector and are soldered to a metal connection. However, the two holes in the reflector allow light to escape, thereby degrading the image. The other end of the metal connection allows wires to be attached from an electrical source. When the lamp has surpassed its useful life, the costly reflector and lamp assembly, which can be referred to as the light generation assembly, is simply replaced and the old assembly is discarded. No process operating information, such as the actual life of the lamp, is available to designers.